Folding chair



Dec. 12, 1933. R MERRlLL 1,939,596

FOLDING CHAIR Filed March 29, 1933 HAN/WM Eg -1% WW Patented Dec. 12, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,939,596 rommo CHAIR Application March 29, 1933. Serial No. 663,253

2 Claims. (Cl. 155-142) The present invention relates to folding chairs and more particularly to folding chairs of metal construction of the general character illustrated and described in application for patent by Walter M. Hanson for Folding chair, filed March 4, 1932, Serial No. 596,733, and assigned to my assignee.

The main objects of the invention are to provide a chair of the character above set forth which is rugged and sturdy in construction; to provide such a chair which is noiseless in its folding operation; to provide a chair improved in construction over the construction shown and described in said Hanson application in that clothing of the occupant of the chair may not get pinched between and torn by the folding parts of the chair; and, to provide such a chair construction which is economical in manufacture, pleasing in appearance and utilitarian in use.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the folding chair in its unfolded position;

Figure 2 is a sideelevational view of the chair.

in its unfolded position, parts of the tubular frame thereof being broken away on line 2--2 of Figure l to show the tubular form of the frame in cross section and the means employed for mounting the seat and its pivoted links;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary front elevational view showing the seat in its folded position;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the chair frame in its partly folded position; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectionalview on line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing in which like parts are designated by the same numerals in the several views, the folding chair generally comprises a U-shaped tubular metal frame 1 forming a support for a back 2, preferably of sheet metal, positioned below the horizontally disposed medial portion 3 of the frame and suitably secured thereto and to the opposite vertically disposed portions thereof which form spaced front legs 4. The tubular frame member is triangularly formed in cross section from sheet metal stock with its longitudinal edges bent and flanged inwardly to form a finished and reinforcing seam 5 as best shown 7 in Figure 2.

' A pair of tubular metal, spaced rear legs 7, formed in the same manner as is the frame member formed, are each pivotally connected to a yoke or saddle 8 which embraces and is secured to each side of the frame member, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. a

The lower ends of frame memberwhich form the front legs 4 of the chair and the rear legs 7 thereof are provided with horizontally disposed reinforcing or strengthening rods 9, 10, 11 and 12 whose outer ends pierce the seams of said legs on their inner sides and extend through to the outsides of the legs where their respective ends are riveted to form heads 14. Each of the supporting legs are provided with noiseless feet caps 15 of rubber or any other suitable material.

A seat 16 is rigidly secured to supporting members 17 which are pivotally mounted upon the rod 9. interjacent the front legs of the chair and a pair of links 18 pivotally mounted upon the rod 11 on the opposite inside surfaces of the rear legs of the chair and also pivotally mounted to the seat supporting members 16 by means of the pivot pins 19 project or extend forwardly under the rod 9 as best shown in Figure 2 for maintaining the seat in a substantially horizontal plane appearance and utilitarian in use.

While but one specific embodiment of this invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a folding chair, a U-shaped frame forming a back support and spaced front legs, a pair of spaced rear legs pivotally secured to said frame, a reinforcing rod secured at its opposite ends between said front legs, a seat pivotally secured interjacent said front legs, and a pair of links pivotally secured on opposite sides of said rear legs and to said seat and having forwardly extending arms projecting under said rod when the chair is in unfolded position for maintaining the seat in a substantially horizontal plane.

2. In a folding chair, a U-shaped frame forming a back support and spaced front legs, a pair of spaced rear legs pivotally secured to said frame,

a reinforcing rod secured at its opposite ends between said rear legs, a reinforcing rod secured at its opposite ends between said front legs, a seat pivotally mounted upon. said second rod interjacent said front legs, and apair of links pivotally mounted upon said first rod adjacent the inner sides of said rear legs and'to said seat, said links having forwardly extending arms projecting under and in contact with said second rod when the chair is in unfolded position for maintaining 

